Pakistan has reported its first polio case of 2025, with a 13-month-old girl from Tank district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, diagnosed with Wild poliovirus type 1. The girl first showed symptoms on November 25, 2024. In total, Pakistan recorded 68 polio cases in 2024, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounting for 21.
Polio, which causes irreversible paralysis and death in some cases, can be prevented through the oral polio vaccine. Ensuring full vaccination for children under five is crucial.
Despite ongoing vaccination campaigns, including door-to-door efforts by the Pakistan Polio Program, challenges persist. In Sindh, repeated campaigns failed to eliminate the virus, with negligence and poor management hindering progress. The focus on false assurances by local officials in 2024 created the illusion of progress while the virus continued to circulate, further delaying eradication efforts.
